lavo had the misfortune to differ «ith the members of the Opposition on these aud on other points. * We were of opinion that Mr. 0',SnANASSY-and Mr. Milleu ought to have resigned th-ir «cats as hank directors before they com-

menced a negotiation on behalf* of the <? rublic with their own and with other j links We did not shrink from avow ii e our conviction that Mr. Chapman,

} y his magisterial appointments, m- \ fiieted a deadly wound on tho adnvinis- I nation of justice in this oolony, and j that if lie had his deserts, he would be 'ignominiously and permanently expelled from the public service. ]iut it was in vain that we urged the -public consideration of public question. The members of the Opposition wore too exclusively occupied in planning counts out, in projecting " no houses," in thwarting the exeoution of routine -public business, and in expressing by all ¿icans and through 'all channels thoa personal hatred upon' personal grourtds

of the members of the Government.

And tbese are the men who now ask a popular assemblage to perform duties which they have neglected, and to assume a trust which they have betrayed. We know not whether they will mak3 their appearance to-day at the meeting thoy have promoted, or whether, as is juoic piobable, thoy will remain in tlia background, and put forward from amongst " the prinoipal oitizens" som. -ouvoiiient instruments to express thoir

jiassions and to serve their ends. But -ne hope that those who attend the meeting with fair and impartial inten- tions will carefully study its eharaotor îind the aims of its promoters. Wo do not ask for an expression of oonl denco in Mr. O'Shanassy's Adminis- tration; but we would remind evory disinteiestod man that the cause of (iovermnent, no matter in whose band- it may be vested, claims his sup- port against the intrigues of faction. We have had ample _ opportunity of appraising the political results of systematic party opposition to the Ministry of tho day. For moro than two years this party warfare has oaused the administration of affairs to be feeble and not free from corruption ; it has not only retarded, but even stopped, the progress of all wiso legislation, and it lias stripped every one of our loading public mon of ali parties, of_ overy lag of eharaotor with which to cover his shame. Is this state of things to last for ever? Will it be put an end to by turning Mr. O'SHANASSY and his faction out of office and by installing Mr. Ebden and his faction in their places? We be- lieve it will not. We remember the irick by which Mr. O'SHANASSY turne i out the first Haines Administration, and we do not doubt that if he wore lemoved from ornoo to-day, he and hb iiieuds would commence to-morrow to pursue the same unscrupulous tactics of which they are at present the viotini3 No lemedy can be successful unless the people themselves interfere. Mis .¡zovernment and the stoppage of legis- lation must at length produce a crisis, and then it is to bo hoped the sprink- ling of a little dust from the popular band will allay this strife of political

insects.

We published on Thursday last a co py of the "countorblasf which the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce has put forth in answer to the memorial of the Mel-

bourne Chamber of Comnicrco, upon the subject of the present contract for postal service between Australia and the mother country. The memorial of tlio Adelaide Chamber is temperate in ils tone, and evinces considerable care bestowed upon the endeavor to arrive at accurate results. Its main purpose is to correct certain errors in the calcu- lations of the Melbourno memorialists, and to substitute carefully-calculatel lor carelessly-conjectural figures, where the latter havo been called into requisition to augment the ap larcnt loss of timo to Melbourno,

and to diminish the apparent gain of J time to Adelaide under the present system. In pursuit of this object, the Adelaide Chamber has evinced a raro f nd commendable fairness, and has eor iccted figures tolling in favor of its side if the argument as scrupulously as those ?< liich tell against it. Thus, for ex implo, it establishes upon abundant tistimony that tlio actual distance lo3t in touching at Kangaroo Island instead < f going straight from King George's found to Port Phillip Heads, is about ive hundred and eighteen miles, ^ lierons,, had it been attempted _ini[]y to make out a good ca3e, Hie allegation that a very much ¡.maller loss would be involved might bave been supported upon seemingly sufficient evidence. Referring to the Melbourne memorial, the Adelaide mo woiialists say :

- . ted to bo 020 miles and 420 miles respectively, ! so that if 1,300 milos bo tho distança from Kmg ' George's Sound to Hobson's Bay dil cet (as tho i rrcniorial states), tho doviation w ould only amount to 40 miles. By a rof orenco, how over, to an elabó- rate report from Captain Douglas, Naval Officer of the provinco, dated tho 15th of Soptember, 1853, in which tho distances given aie trigouomotri cally calculated, tho nctual deviation from » di- rect course is found to bo 121 miles ; and as ox porienco has shown that it will bo unnecessary or the ocean Btcamers to enter Nopoan Bay at all, a further saving of at least tin oo milos will generally bo effected. Thus tho doviation prove j to bo only 118 miles, or less than thico-fiftus oc ¿lie distance cstimatod in the momorial."

For this hundred and eighteen milos ?ho Adelaide Chamber allows a deten- tion of thirteen hours, and for the tran- shipment of mails, &c., an hour and a J alf. This hour and a half is within <wo minutes of twice the average time < i'at has actually been lost in the four tases of tianshipment that constitute our 1 íesent _ experience upon this subject it sufficiently liberal marginal allow-, -nee. The actual average has been iß'

minutes. The Salsette was detained outward, on the 17th of February, 60 minutes; the Emeu, on the lath of March; 75 minutes ; r the Malta, on th^ 19th of April, 25 minutes,; and the Benares, inward, on the 9th of May, ¿3,

minutes: -This was the total detention, the time actually occupied with trans- ferring the mail-boxes not having ex- ceeded a quarter of an hour in any case. In no case has the Royal Mail steamer been compelled to let go an anchor in nepean Bay, and the allegation of the

Melbourne Chamber of Commerce, that " in the event of the steamer arriving " off Nepean Bay after dark, there " being no lighthouse at that station, " she could not, under the most " favorable circumstances, enter the " Bay, or deliver or receive - her "mails until the next morning," has been very practically contradicted by the fact, that the Malta, which ar- rived in Nepean Bay at a quarter before 11 on the night of the 19tb of April, was only detained thero five-and-twenty minutes. Upon the basis of these'faots,

the Adelaide Chamber of Comineroe estimates that the steamers will really bo detained upon their voyage to Mel- bourne from King George's Sound fourteen hours and a half. This is a considerable reduction upon our me- morialists' altogether unaccounted for and conjectural estimate of ", some e' thirty-six hours, or a day and a "half," as they put, it, with an excessive liberality of instruction as to the num- ber of hours constituting a day, con- trasting somewhat with their niggardli- ness of information as to the way in which the first figure was arrived at.

The time lost to us by detention at Kangaroo Island having thus, it ap- pears, boon " in linked swectness> long

" drawn out " to more than twico its legitimate dimensions, the memorialists of our Chamber of Commerce are show a to have applied a kind of principle of compensation, by materially under- rating the time gained in Adelaida under the present system. The esti- mates of the two Chambers are respec- tively one hundred and one and eighty two hours-figures which aro thus ar-

The estimate of seventy hours for the transhipment of mails in Hobson's B ty and conveyance to Adelaide,is,it appears, a conjectural one on the part of the Ade- laide Chamber, but the conjecture is, that by greater stringency in regula- tions, fifteen hours could be saved upon the time that actually has boen occu- pied for this purpose hitherto. A table is supplied, by which it appears

that in nine conseoutive cases under the old contract, and when the contractors for the branch steamers wore bound under penalties to sail from Hobson's Bay within two hours after receiving the Adelaide mails, these mails did not airive at the Adelaide lightship until, on an average, eighty-five hours after their arrival in Hobson's Bay. The total result of these corrections would lead to the excision of the following sentence from the Melbourne memorial : ?-" The four colonies thus lose thirty " six hours each, in order that ßouth " Australia may gain eighty-two ;" and to this substitution-" The four " colonies thus lose fourteen and a-half " hours each, in order that South Aus " tralia may gain one hundred and " one,"-a material ohange.

According to the view which wo have taken of this matter from the begin- ning, it would indicate a somewhat giasping and unfederal spirit on our part were we to desire our sister colony to suffer so much loss in ordor that w3 might realise so little gain. But i. must be remembered that, against our Icf-s of time in delivery of mails, we havo to set off a gain of time in delivery of intelligence by telegraph. As to this subjeot, also, we have to confess that our Chamber exhibited less fairness in its memorial than we could wish,--a fact which the Adelaide Chamber points out in the following words :

" On reading tlio passage quotod in para- graph 8 of tlio memorial from tho Treasury minute of November 27, 1865, it is impossible to avoid expressing astonishment at the statement preceding it-viz., that 'No new facts, as far as your memorialists can learn, havo since transpired to affect the decision thon arrived at by the Im- perial Government.' In tho passago referred to, two i casons, and t«o only, aro assigned by tho homo authorities for objecting to tlio delivery of the mails for South Australia cn passant. These mo, first, ' That vessels of the size which must bo employed in this service aro unable to cross tho bar of the port (f. c, Port Adelaide), and aro obliged to bring up at a distanco from tho port of 15 miles, and from the land of 5 miles, and of ton in very bad weather;' and, secondly, 'That calling at Port Adelaide would cause considerable detention to the moro important mails of Mel« bourne and Sydney, ... as well as a loss of time also on tho return voyage ; and that, there» loro, the entire voyago out and home would bo

luigthoned.'

" It must, bo ovidont to tho most careless roailcr of tho paragraph in question, that tho pro- posal for South Australia to recoivo her mails at Kangai oo Island, and tho estabKBhment of telo , graphic communication between Adelaide, Mel I bourne, and Sydney, aro ' now facts/ which

would affect-as indeed they havo ovidontly affected-' tho decision of tho Imperial Govern- ment' most materially. Under the inftuonco of those ' now facts,' the objections raised to Port I Adolaido disappear altogether, and tho 'con« I ßidorablo detention/ upon which so much stress I is laid, dwindles down to 14J hours; while, as if | to show still moro indisputably that now facts

(.eh es proposo, in paragraph 10, to reverso that decision, so far. as regards the homeward ser- vice." " !

We need not discuss this''subject fuith'cr at'present. The two memorials

'' ¡ <-. i

will go 'to îlnglan&i" and will no doubt be duly considered together. Wo cer talnly-regret-*that" our own Chamber of Commerce, should have assumed the position thatithas done as to this matter, but we believe it to.bo a body actuatol by so much generalfairness of'intention, that it will not permanently regret the probablo rejeotion of the prayer of its own memorial. That memorial has evi- dently been based upon insufficiently considered data, and with an over ready acceptance of the pernicious dootrino, that perfect selfishness should govern the .conduct of communities. Such a doctrine is bad enough even among countries having no fraternal ties, but it is doubly misapplied to States com- mon in origin, language, race, alle- giance to one great empire, and in the just expectation of forming, at no distant ep'ooh, an important nationality, by being bound together in the advan- tageous bonds of friendly and federal

A correspondent, whose letter will bo found elsewhere, appears to doubt the safety of giving so strong a dose of bromine as that in M. Bibron's anti- dote for snake poison ; and we think it may be important 'to prove or disprove this material point from the best medi- cal authorities. Bromine was discovered by M.^BaIiLaed, of Montpellier, in t1826, in the bittern of sea-water, and has since been found in several minoraL springs, particularly in some near New York. Chemically it ranks with chlorine and with iodine, which last was dis- covered about a dozen years before bromine, in kelp or barilla, the ashes of sea-weeds. Both bromine and iodine are very powerful specific stimulants, and have been found of incalculable value in medicine, in dissipating glandu- lar swellings and in ohronio rheumatism. In over doses, like all strong medioines, thoy aro both poisonous ; but so also are opium and tobacco, so extensively used. This, therefore, can bo no valid objection to Bibron's antidote, which also contains a minute quantity of cor- rosive sublimate, so well-known as poisonous.

Bromine has been proved to act on the human system precisely like iodine, requiring, from its rather greater energy, to be given in smaller dosos. M. Magenbie, of Paris, the celebrate 1 experimenter on new medicines, gave bromine successfully, with various com- binations of iron, of magnesium, and of mercury j and the London College, in 1836, directed a preparation of bromine and potassium, the metallic base of potass; but English physicians have, from the first, picferred iodine, and the London College, in their last edition of the " Pharmacopoeia," have, ono thÍ3 account, omitted all the preparations of

bromine.

As to the dose of, bromine, M. Magendie directs thirty grains to b3 dissolved in an ounce and a half of dis- tilled water, and four or five drops of this solution to be taken in a glass of water. M. Pourohe, moro recently, 'directs one part of bromine to be dissolved iu forty parts of distilled water, and five or six drops of this^o bo taken in watsr four times a day. Dr. Williams, of London, a high authority, gave bro- mide of potassium with success ; and Dr. Neligan, of Dublin, one of our best authorities in the dosc3 of medicine, directs bromide of potassium to bo given, in doses of from three to twelve grains, in sweetened water, thrioa a day; and it is im j or taut to remark, that he directs the very same dose of the similar preparation of iodine-the well known hydriodate of potass ; for we may thence fairly infer his opinion of the strength of bromine. Dr. Nelioav gives the dose of corrosive sublimate ironi one-twelfth to one-sixteenth of a grain, made into a pill with bread, twice or thrice a day.

We may now comparo M. Bibron's antidote with these authorised doses, as h bated by Prince Paul, of Wirtemberg,

which we translate.

The Latin formula is-" Ii potas3Ü " iodidi, gr. iv. ; hydrarg. chlor, goit.s. " gr. ij. ; brominii, 5 v." : " Take fo ir " grains of iodide of potassium, tw. " grains of corrosive sublimate, three " hundred grains of bromine : ten drop3 " of this mixture, diluted with a table " spoonful of wine or brandy, constitute " a dose." Now, there can be no ques- tion that this is an enormous dose, for bromine having the high specific gra \ity of 3-0, while sulphuric acid is less than 2,0, a drop of the antidota would weigh about 2 grains, which -rçould make the dose 20 grains-about double the dose directed in ordinary cases by M. Magendie and Dr. Neli gan. But snake poisoning is not an ordinary case, and therefore requires extraordinary measures; an'd probably there would be no danger at all in following Bibron's prescription, as Dr. Hammond and M. de Vesey 1 ave successfully done. Many a mau, fccized with Asiatic cholera, has swal- lowed as much strong brandy as would, in health, have set him raving mad, but such has been the power of the disease that a very largo quantity of brandy has had no more eftect upon the patient than as much «rater or milk. So may the snake poison act in reference to this ¡.oworful antidote.

Besides, it is very material to remark, that some of the strongest medicine act very differently in large and in small doses. The common dose of 1 calomel is, by Newoan's table, 1 horn one to six grains; but in

Tudia, where tropical fevers aro rapidly 1 fatal, they give from twenty to sixty gi ains with ' benefit. At a remarkable trial in the Justiciary Court at Edin- burgh, about fifty years ago, it was 1 inserted by one physician, and denied

1 y others, that sixty grains of calomel Ivould prove poisonous. £n America, I Low over, as much as 100 grains have II con given at a single dose n ith gool .tifect, while Dr. Neligan says even

as large a dose as 120 grains I of oalomel may be given in the first |fetago of dysentery aud > Asiatic cholera' " with tho very best effects," i nd " will frequently cut them short." 'I he still more powerful poisons, aconite, 1 dladonna, and tartar emetic, were pro ;çribed',"by the eminent ItalianJphysi .ciaus, iXAsoßi and BoaDA/in'ßucli-da'r

. ,' 1 1 .

ing doses as startled the whole medioal Iworld about thirty years ago, when fir3fc 'published by their great disciple Toit ' Masini in 'his " Annalli Universalli di ' « Medicina ;" yet these very large doses 1 are now commonly adopted in the case Î of tartar emetic, as a very superior sub-

stitute for the old Sangradoism of blood ¡ letting. All this is, of course, the very i reverse of the infinitesimal doses of homoeopathy j and wo arc not aware

¡whether Hahnemann ever professed

to cure snake-bite, which, on his great ¡ maxim of similia similibus curantur, or

i " like cures like," would seem to require

snake-poison itself to be administered. Upon the whole, it would be unwise, except in very urgent oases, for any person but a medical man to presoribo Bibron's antidote; and a competent practitioner, while he adhered to tho ingredients, could easily vary the for- mula, which does not seem to be a good one, though, having been experimen- tally proved before the French Aoadomy of Sciences-by far the highest soiontifio tribunal in Europe-it should not bo altered without good reason. The late Dr. James Johnson, physician to King William IV"., when his prescriptions .were criticised, was wont to say, " Well, " they may be wrong, but I find thoy " cure my patients for all that."

Our correspondent's authorities are not of the highest oharaoter. Brande, .who stands deservedly high as a chemist, is not a medical man. Hooper and Beasely are respectable compilers nothing , more. Even Pereira, the liighest pharmaceutical authority, has to depend on Magendie and other original experimenters. The whole subject of snake-poisoning, including Bibron's antidote, would be worthy of the consideration of our Pharmaceutical Society hero to make experiments upon and report.

On Saturday last a case was tried in the Old Court, boforo his Honor Mr. Justice Molesworth and Special Juries of Four, which excited somo degree of interest amongst those who wore pre- sent, owing to both parties concerned being well known personages. The plaintiffs wore Messrs. Easton and Bennett, the butchers in Bourka Btieet, and the defendant was the lion. John Hood, M.L.O. Tho action was brought to re- cover the sum of £100, being the amount of au excess in rent paid by the plaintiffs through tha alleged non-performanco of a premiso by the defendant. It appeared that tho plaintiffs rented, for ono year, in 1856, two shops from Mr. Hood, at a rental of £832 per annum, with the option of continuing the lease for two years longer, if thoy thought proper. Thoy accord- ingly did continuo to keep fhe premises ; but ia tho middle of 1857, Mr. Hood, boing desirous of selling the property, as rents had risen, bought tho plaintiffs' interest in tho lease for a sum of £168, being the difference between the rent they had been paying and £1,000 per annum. This sum was fixed upon, it was alleged, by the plaintiffs, in order that Mr. Hood might mako,ifc appear that the actual rental was £1,000, for tho purpose of obtaining a better price for his pro- perty. As the plaintiffs wero nonsuited in conse- quence of the declaration being at variance with the actual facts of the case, it would be unfair to the defendant to express any opinion on a trans- action which, from what was stated, would appear to have been anything but a straight- forward one. In any case, however, the plaintiffs thoinBolves would appear to have been fully cog- nizant of tho attempt to piocuro, apparently, a better price for a property than it was worth, on the assumption that the rent was higher than it actually was. The amount sought to bo recovered ivas a sum of £100, which the plaintiffs claimed from Mr. Hood in consequenco of his' having promised them, af tor he had givon this £168, that if ho succeeded in selling the property during the yeai 1857, and they woro willing to continuo as tenants during 1858, their rent should only b3 £900. Although thoy ovidently attempted to fasten upon Mr. Hood tho chargo of having deceived his purchaser, by lotting him imagina that the plaintiffs woro paying £1,0001 a-year, whilst thoy were only paying £832,it would never- theless appear that tho former was tho full value of it, as Messrs. Easton and Bennoftstatod that they had taken a five years' lease of the premises in question from tho purchaser, Mr. George Kirk, at an annual rental of '£1,000. Besides the abovo case, another ono, being an action for assault and false imprisonment,'brought by a Government contractor, Mr. Dakiel, against an officer of the Public Works Department, was commenced on Saturday, and it is oxpected that the further hearing of the case will occupy tha greater portion of this day. Instead, however, of his Honor and tho Special Juries of Four con- tinuing to sit in the Old Court, they will to-day move into tho Now Court, as the former will bo occupied by his Honor the Chief Justice and Special Juries of Twelvo.

A correspondent, writing from Ballan, informs ws that very considerable excitement prevailed in that town on Friday, from tho circumstance of a man named William Short having been shot on tho previous evening. Short resided in a tent upon the farm of his brother, who employed both tho deceased and the murderer. At about 8 o'clock in the evening of the 19th tho deceased, who was about GO years of age, was sitting by his fire, when ho hoard some one approach the tout. Ho wont outside, and a fellow-workman, William Bait, snapped a gun at him, which he held in his hand. On ontering the tontj Salt asked if he had frightened lum, and tho deceased roplicd in tho affirmative. Salt then took a seat, and either charged the gun or applied powder to the nipple, and affixed a fresh cap. " Some general conversation, of an ap- parently friendly nature, arose between them about opossum shooting and other mattors, with- out exciting any suspicion. The deceased's wife, who is in her 89th year, was reaching a bottlo, at his request, to apply a liniment to his shoulder, ond at tho moment when hor back was turned the man fired the gun off, and tho contents lodged in the breast of tho deceased, who instantly expired. Salt withdrew from tho tent, and hurried to the residence of Mr. Short, which is about half a mile from, his brother's tent. In reply to inquiries as to what brought him thero, he said that he had boon out opossum-shooting. The shrieks of William Short's wlfo wero then heard, and the murderer remarked that it must bo some one at a neigh- bor's near. Ho then withdrew, and retired to Mr. Short's stable, aud lay down, apparently feigning to bo asleep. Ho was arrested with tho gun by his sido. Inquiry was mado of him, as to his object in shooting tho deceased. He cried, and replied that ho did not know, and subse- quently asked how the old man was. An inquest was to bo held on Saturday, when further parti- culars, which have not yet reached us, wero pro-

bably elicited ia referenco to this molanoholy

event.

The usual weekly meeting of the Richmond

Municipal Council was held on Friday evening,

at their Chambers in the Richmond-road. The

Hon. George Coppin was in the chair. The busi- ness of the meeting consisted principally of the eloction of auditors, and after the votes had been revised, Messrs. Bosisto and Judd were declarad to be duly elected. From some corrcspondenco which was read, it appeared that on the 27th of March the. Chairman of the Municipal Council of Brunswick had complained of tho conduct of tho Chairman of the Richmond Council. In reply to that} letter, however, tho Chairman returned au

ii i . J

'' answer dcfoñijihg the course ho had takon, an 1

a'ter'both letter's had been read, the Counci' stated thoir- approval of .tlio course of conduc) " i ursûed by'their Chairman '$ the^nu^tor.;, The

business concluded with tho Adoption pf wvriou i by-laws having relation to,the,bettor management of the cab-stands. ' ?" , ".--,"- '^' ., ' . -* Mr. Northcott writes to complain tbaÇour report "of the case of Gouldina and Smytlie v.\Northcott, at the St. Kilda Police Court, is incorrect, inas- much as throo quarters' subscription to tho Si. Kilda Chronicle'was sought to be recovered, and the^Bonch awarded two-thirds, instead ot which it is stated in the report that tho a'mouii; claimed and awarded was 10s., for two quarter* subscription., < .> '

An adjourned meeting, for the appointment of a trustee in the bstato of John M'Nall, was hold in the Insolvent Court on, Saturday. A vote previously tondered on behalf of Mr. Byan, and which had been left at the former 'meeting under tho consideration of the Commissioner, was now admitted, making in all a majority of four votes in favor of that gentleman over his opponents, Messrs. Jacomb and Butters, on whoso behalf iMri Macgiegor intimated his intention of with- drawing further opposition. Mr. Byan was con- sequently declared to be duly elected, and this protracted and often 'adjourned mooting has

therofoie finally closed. ~

On Wednesday last, at the Daylesford Polica Court, Mr. J. Dovoton, tho Police Magistrate of that district presiding, a caso was decided which , has created a considerable amount of interest.

It will bo remembered that a horrible outrage, resulting, unhappily, in the death of tho victim, was committed on the night of the 19th Febmary last on tho Hepburn Racecourse The unfortunate man, who was literally kicked to death, was named Philip Smith, or, perhaps, was better known as Chandler. On the 12th of Mai oh, Alexander Goigo, a Frenchman, was appre- hended and brought befoie Mr. Doveton, charged with having committed that brutal murder. After some evidence had. been takon, which showed, beyond tho possibility of a doubt, that tlio prisoner was connected with tho cime, if not the actual perpetrator of it, he was remanded until the 18th inst., when Mr. Superintendent Burke, of Castlemaine, assisted by the detective (Berliner) fioni Mol- bourno, who had arrested the prisoner, appeared to conduct the prosecution. Mr. Moultrie at- tended for the defence. Superintendent Burke having read over the depositions taken against the prisoner on the previous occasion called Tliomas Eogers, who stated that ho knew the prisoner, whom ho would positively swear to having seen on the lace-courso on tho night of the murder, at about half-past 10 o'clock, just befoie the timo the murder was committed. Robert Johnston, a minor, residing at Stoney Creek, deposed tb his knowledge of tho prisoner, and gave similar evidence. j Thomas Foy also svvoro to having seen tho prisoner on the race- course tho same evening. For tho defence, the prisoner brought forwaid five witnesses to prove an alibi; thoy all deposed to his being asleep at tho timo in a tent at somo distance from the scone of tho murder. Detective Hudson proved finding: the Guernsey sim i of the prisoner all saturated with blood, which ho accounted for by say- ing that it was done at a fight in which, he had been engaged last Christmas. A sur- geon deposed to tho blood on tho prisoner's shut being perfectly fresh, and of recent date. The piesiding magistrate not deeming the evi- dence sufficiently conclusive even to warrant his sending the case for trial boforo a jury, discharged tho prisoner. Wo leam that the Crown has issued a warrant for his re-arrest, on the charge i of his being accessory to the crime. i

James Mulholland, the late 'toiviii clerk at Kalitun nt East, whoso namo has recently been, brought prominently before-the public in con- nection with the frauds practised by him on th 3 Municipal Council, was arrested-on Thursday last, 'by" o"no of the Beechworth detectives, named Alexander. Mulholland was on his way to Sydney. Shortly after the fact of his having absconded becamo known, the Council offered a. lovyavd of £50 for his apprehension.

On Saturday the notorious ticket-of-leave

convict, William Smith, a man of color, was arrested in a house in Charles-street, Prahran, belonging to Joseph Maish, a brother-in-law of the equally notorious James Cioft, alias Wilson. For several days past this man Smith has created a considorablo amouiu\ of alarm throughout the neighborhood of Prahran and South Yarra, by tho cowal dly assaults which ho has committed oa females who happened to be walking out after dark. Croft is also in custody of tho police, on suspicion of being an accomplice. There aro fivo separate charges against Smith : one of burglary, two of highway robbery, and two of attempts at highway-robbery, accompanied by violence. Four of these charges aro preferred by i espectable females, the other by Mr. Thomas Evans, into whoso houso the man broke. It appears that Smith was convioted in Melbourne of burglary, on the 18th of August, 1857, and sentenced to tinco years on the roads. On the 3rd inst., the prisoner received a tickot of-lcavo from Mr. Wood, the officiating chaplain at the stockade, in whoso oh_pol he was accus- tomed to sing. Littlo moro than half his sen tonco had at that time been served. Great praiso is duo to the onergy displayed by Constablo Bruen in effecting tho arrest of 'this man, who will bo brought up at the Prahran Police Court to-day for examination. Wo understand that ho has confessed having committed the crimes with, which he is charged, and laughs at the simplo ciedulity displayed by tho chaplain for believing his piofessionB of earnest repentance.

A meeting was held at tho Bull and Mouth Hotel on Saturday evening, for the purpose of . determining the best means of collecting sub-

scriptions towards tho Exploration Fund. .Dr. Eades was present, but, owing to thoinolemonoy of the weather, vory few persons attended, and it was considered advisable to postpono the meeting to a futuro date. Wo -understand that tin aldonnen of the various wards will hold meetings for tho purpose of obtaining subscriptions. A combined meeting of tho two Committees of Exploration will bo held at the Mechanics' Insti-

tute this afternoon.

The intense cold and blustering wind which prevailed on Saturday prevented the attendance of any but enthusiasts in the game of football upon the Melbourne cricket-ground, and even these made but a very poor muster until long after the time for which play was called. Little delay, however, took place when a quorum was

declared present, for Messrs. Wills and Butter- worth at once proceeded to choose sides. The game was contested with immense vigor and equal success, until the shades of night and some very suspicious-looking clouds moving up rapidly from over the Bay, warned the players home. No goal was kicked, a circumstance for which the strong wind blowing, and the extreme closeness of the goal posts, may fairly be blamed, more than the "following" of either captain. Some little unpleasantness was occasioned owing to the vague wording of the rule which makes "tripping"an institution, and after the match a meeting of the committee was held, at which most of the existing rules underwent re- vision, and some new ones were added. This complete code will be printed and distributed amongst the members of the club, of whom there are now about 70 on the list. On the same afternoon an excellent game was played amongst themselves by the gentlemen of the South Yarra Club, who, it is expected, will meet the Melbourne Club on Saturday next. From the known excellence of many players on both sides a very close struggle may fairly be anticipated.

We also understand that a St. Kilda Club has been organised, and that it will shortly open to

all challengers.

The first meet of the Melbourno Hunt Club took place ou Satuiday last, and tlio day's sport "may be considered as predictive of a'good season.

. A "bagman" was _>rovided,,aaU infiera lóiiA

Tun Mr. W. Treacy contrived to bear away the brush, Mr. G. Watson, the master of tho pack, making a good second. Therowere several"oli steeplechasers In'the field,,and Mr/Treacy*« Will-if-I-can performed his work, as usual-welL Before proceeding to the meet the members of the-club took luncheon at the housd of the master, at Brighton. ' r

Mr. Sturt, P.M., begs to acknowledge the re- ceipt of £5, contribution to tho poor-box, the name of the donor, by desire, being suppressed.

" The usual weekly meeting of tho City Council takes place to-day. The chief business is to con- sider tho propriety of rescinding the resolution of Council adopting a schodule of works on which to apply tho portion of the Parliamentary grant ap piopriated to Macarthur Ward, and of adopting

another in lieu thereof. The whole Council "has been summoned to consider this question. '

At tho Emerald Hill Police Court on Saturday last Joseph Glaysher was charged with selling spirits on tho Sunday. It appears rather a pecu- liar circumstance that the police should select tiny particular man and charge him with com- mitting a breach of tho law, when they know "perfectly well that his is not au exceptional caso j und there is no doubt that they are actuated in the generality of cases, not so much by a desire of enforcing the law as from a. wish to punish a person who had been unfortunate enough to incur their displeasure. In the case in question the delinquent was fined the sum of £6.

The Hippodrome, in Lonsdalo-street, was re- opened on Saturday night, under tho manage- ment of Mr. J. A. Rowe. The performances consisted of the miscellany usually presented at establishments of this description. Mr. Barlow's family of educated dogs constituted by no means tho least interesting portion of tho programme. Mr« Bowe deserves well of tho public of Melbourne. His energy as a spirited circus conductor, and his liberality towards some of our benevolent insti- tutions, have not passed from the recollection of those who knew him in his moro prosperous days J and his present efforts will, no doubt, meet with general encouragement. The announcement in his handbills, however, is not in the best possible